Italy Edge Past Moldova As Norway Miracle Needed

CHISINAU, MOLDOVA – NOVEMBER 13: Gianluca Mancini of Italy celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Moldova and Italy at Stadionul Zimbru on November 13, 2025 in Chisinau, Moldova. (Photo by Claudio Villa – FIGC/FIGC via Getty Images)

FIGC via Getty Images

Italy left it late, as they so often do, but secured a vital win against Moldova to still give themselves a minute chance of overtaking Norway and gaining top spot in UEFA qualifying Group I.

Goals from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito secured a 2-0 win in Chisinau for Gennaro Gattuso’s men, and in the process maintaining his 100% record as Azzurri boss.

Italy, however, were far from impressive. For large parts of the game the four-time World Cup winners failed to break down the eastern European outfit, despite having more of the ball.

After a lot of huffing and puffing, Mancini’s diving header from an expert Federico Dimarco cross put Italy into the lead with only three minutes remaining.

Esposito then scored a header of his own on the 90th minute to put a seal on the triumph.

Italy now go into the final day of qualifying with the faintest — in the truest sense of the word — chance of leapfrogging Norway and taking top spot.

Norway, with Man City superstar Erling Haaland leading the way, battered Estonia 4-1 in Oslo to stay three points clear.

Haaland scored twice in the win, with the striker now on a rather ludicrous 53 goals from 47 games for his country.

It now means going into the final day that Italy have a mountain and a half to conquer in order to overtake Haaland and co. Ostensibly Italy, who face Norway at San Siro next week, need to not just secure victory but win by a margin of nine clear goals.

Therefore, almost impossible.

While Italy struggled for goals in the campaign, the same cannot be said for Norway, who’ve amassed a colossal 33 from seven games. Italy scored 20.

It means another turn at the playoff roulette is almost guaranteed for Italy, and this brings back dreaded memories of 2017 and 2022.

Defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia have scarred the national psyche, and even mentioning the name playoff will induce tremors of sweat for certain players.

Gattuso has been criticised in Italy for his team rotation, with many of the players who started in the win over Moldova not key regulars.

Gianluca Scamacca played like a man who’s hardly kicked a ball in 18 months, while Riccardo Orsolini and Mattia Zaccagni hover around the national side but aren’t key members.

The same also applies to Bryan Cristante in midfield. The feeling that Gattuso is saving many of his top players for the Norway challenge could’ve easily backfired had Italy not got over the line against Moldova, which very nearly happened.

Of course, much can change between now and the final round of games, but if Italy do indeed go into the playoffs, they will be seeded and in pot one.

This means they will face a side from pot four which, as it stands, will be one of Wales, Northern Ireland, Romania or, dare we say it, Sweden.

Wales can still make it into pot two or three, but the potential of facing Sweden could bring back memories of 2017, and not happy ones.

“They’ll have to fight again through the playoffs, which is always complicated. I hope they qualify; they must qualify. Honestly, I think they will,” a rather hopeful Carlo Ancelotti said this week.

Ancelotti, who would’ve been an ideal candidate to replace Luciano Spalletti had Brazil not got to him first, has no such worries, with Brazil already qualified.

As for his homeland, the agonising wait of seeing Italy in another World Cup lingers on a little bit longer.